


Playing Cupid for Two Moronic Champions

by GeckoGirl89



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Based on a Tumblr Post, Dorky Angel, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Helpful Lorne, Idiots in Love, Lorne Ships It, Misunderstandings, POV Lorne, Post-Episode: s03e13 Waiting in the Wings, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 15:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8583199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeckoGirl89/pseuds/GeckoGirl89
Summary: Lorne rolled his eyes heavenward. Playing Cupid for this idiot could get really exhausting. He should probably ask Wesley to pay him once this job was over.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I based this fic on a headcanon discussion I saw on tumblr, which you can read here: http://geckogirl89.tumblr.com/post/153083988080/cangel-headcanon-right-after-angel-and
> 
> This fic is set after an alternate version of 3.13 (Waiting in the Wings) in which a client in distress showed up in the middle of Angel's confession to Cordelia instead of The Groosalugg. Angel and Cordelia still didn't get together because they can both be really stupid sometimes (thankfully, Lorne is there to help them).
> 
> The song Cordelia sings is "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling. It was popular at the beginning of 2002, and the lyrics suit Cangel perfectly.

"Which one do you think?" Angel held out two button-down shirts. "The red or the green?"

Lorne sighed, not sure if he really wanted to offer Angel fashion advice _again_. He thought of his own current outfit, a purple suit that highlighted his green skin tone and red shirt that made his eyes pop. His style was a lot more bold than Angel's.

"Lorne? Please?" The champion looked truly desperate and like one of the helpless that he made it his mission to save. Over a _shirt_.

Lorne glanced between the maroon and pine green shirts. He rolled his eyes. "The green one."

Angel stuffed the red shirt back in his closet. "Are you sure it's enough color? Cordy says I need to wear more color."

"It will be fine, Angelcakes. I don't think Cordelia expects you to be rocking the gold lamé."

Angel shuddered. "I hope not."

Lorne's mind drifted to his conversation with Cordelia from a few days ago...

_Two days after the ballet, Cordelia came up to him in the courtyard after he had just given a private reading for a client. "Lorne, I need to talk to you about something. You're the only one who can help me."_

_Lorne could sense her anxiety without even reading her aura and was immediately concerned. "What's up?"_

_She bit her lip and twisted her hands nervously. "It's about Angel. The night of the ballet, before that client showed up, it sounded like Angel was about to tell me something important, but I don't know what it was. And then, he's been acting all avoidy since then. Do, do you know?" Cordelia glanced away shyly, very unlike her._

_Lorne frowned. He knew exactly what Angel had been trying to say after the ballet, but he didn't feel like it was his place to tell her. But if Angel was being avoidant... No, he couldn't just tell her. Not without knowing how Cordy felt first. "Hmm, I might be able to help you if you sing a couple bars first."_

_Cordelia awkwardly cleared her throat and began singing. "So lately, I've been wondering/Who will be there to take my place?/When I'm gone, you'll need love/To light the shadows on your face."_

_Lorne held up a hand to stop her butchering of the song. Boy you two really are made for each other, Lorne thought as he read the mixture of love for Angel and hurt in her aura. "I think I have all I need."_

_"So, do you know why Angel's being weird?"_

_"Angel is in love with you, kitten."_

_Cordy's mouth hung open in shock. "But what about that whole thing where he said that us together was disgusting? And that whole 'let's just be friends' speech?"_

_Lorne chuckled. "Wow, the miscommunications you two have are truly legendary. Trust me, that was Angel's version of a bumbling love confession, not a 'let's just be friends' speech. And I doubt Angel would have used the word disgusting."_

_Cordy pouted. "Well, he didn't actually say that word, but it was kind of implied with the whole 'wipe it from my memory' thing. Plus, he acted really wigged about going back to that dressing room again with me."_

_Lorne shook his head. "He was probably afraid of his pesky curse acting up if you two ended up getting horizontal. As for that memory line, I'm pretty sure he was talking about wanting to actually make new memories with you. Minus the ghost possession."_

_"Oh." Lorne watched as her aura turned a beautiful, delicate rose color as she finally started to understand how Angel felt about her. "He, uh, he really likes me, huh?"_

_"Like, I said, he's gone way past the liking stage into full-blown, shout it from the rooftops love. The only question is, what are you going to do about it?"_

_Cordelia blinked. "Huh?"_

_"Since Angel has gone into broody, insecure vamp mode, I think it's up to you to actually move your relationship to the next stage. Unless you want to continue pining forever, which is what Angel would allow to happen without some outside interference."_

_Cordelia's aura turned a brighter pink as she was filled with determination. "Oh, hell no. I'm going to do... something, and Angel won't know what hit him!" She patted Lorne on the shoulder and strode purposefully into the hotel. "Thanks, Lorne."_

_"Anytime, princess."_

The memory faded away as he saw Angel running his hands through his hair. "Do you think my hair looks okay? I don't exactly have a mirror, so I can't really tell."

Lorne groaned. "It would look fine if you stopped messing with it." He moved towards Angel and fixed the messy strands into their normal, spiky pattern. "Strudel, you've got to stop worrying about this. I don't think Cordelicious is going to be critiquing your hair tonight." Lorne knew from Cordy's aura that she was very much in love with Angel. She wouldn't expect him to change his hair or his clothing habits.

Angel gulped nervously and glanced at his shoes. "It's our first date, Lorne. It's kind of a big deal."

Lorne felt a swell of affection for the dumb vampire in front of him. It was adorable how a date was making the former Big Bad of Europe act like a fifteen-year-old. _Ah, true love._

"Unless it's not a date." _Uh-oh._ "It is a date, right? Oh my god, I don't think she used the word date! Lorne!" Angel was panicking and shaking Lorne by the shoulders.

Lorne would have told his friend to breathe, but he felt like that advice would be lost on a vampire. Angel began to pace and continued to ramble. "Even if she had used the word date, she could have meant a friend date. Is that what this is? A friend date?" Angel sat down on the bed and covered his face with his hands.

Lorne rolled his eyes heavenward. Playing Cupid for this idiot could get really exhausting. He should probably ask Wesley to pay him once this job was over. He sat down on the bed next to Angel and supportively rubbed his shoulder. "Angel, you have got to stop doing this. You were so excited when you told me about this, and now you've made yourself into a nervous nelly. Your clothes look fine, your hair looks fine, and this is a date."

Angel still looked unsure. "Are you sure this is really a date, Lorne?"

Lorne sighed. From his conversation with Cordelia, he knew this was in fact a date, but with Angel's volatile mood swings, he really didn't want to let his friend know that he had informed Cordelia about his feelings. Vampires might not be able to get heart attacks, but Lorne might have one before this evening was over. "It sure as hell sounded like a date when you explained it to me." He glanced over at the alarm clock and stood up. "Would you look at the time? It's only ten minutes until the princess is due to arrive, and I'm sure you'll want to change into that outfit before then."

"Right, thanks Lorne."

"No problem, you big corn muffin." Lorne walked over to the door and stopped, turning to offer one last piece of advice. "Try to relax and enjoy your time with Cordelia, okay?"

Angel nodded seriously. Lorne left the room, hoping that Angel would take his advice to heart.

* * *

A few hours later, Angel and Cordelia were returning from their date, laughing as they entered the hotel. Lorne breathed a sigh of relief from his position on the balcony, where he could see everything. Angel had either taken his advice, or the influence of Cordelia had lightened his mood. Lorne was betting on the latter.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," Cordy said.

"Me too. That was a funny movie you picked out, which makes sense, because you're funny, and--"

"Angel, you're babbling."

"Right, heh, sorry." Angel turned and clasped both of Cordelia's hands in his, gazing into her eyes lovingly. Lorne wanted to coo at how cute Angel was being, but he refrained, not wanting _anything_ to interrupt this long overdue moment.

"That's okay." Cordelia was smiling gently at him.

Angel looked down at their hands. "So, I guess it's getting kind of late, huh?"

Cordy hummed in agreement. "So it is."

Angel drew in an unnecessary breath and looked back at Cordelia's face. "I, um, are we, uh, that is, is this--" Lorne wanted to bang his head against something. He had thought Angel was bad before, but now he couldn't even complete a sentence!

Cordelia beamed. "You are such a dork, Angel."

"What? Hey!" Cordy cut off the rest of Angel's protest by kissing him firmly on the lips. _Hallelujah!_  Angel made a muffled sound of surprise but quickly responded to the kiss, moaning and bringing his hands to rest lightly on her shoulders.

Cordelia broke the kiss and drew back a few inches, watching the variety of emotions play out on Angel's overwhelmed face. Shock and confusion were mixed with gratitude and joy. Angel opened his mouth a few times, which made him remarkably resemble a guppy. "Um, thank you?"

Cordy giggled, letting her head fall onto Angel's chest, and who could blame her? She was right. Angel _was_ a dork. But apparently, she liked that in her men, because she moved her head back up, muttering "You're lucky I love you so much" before she captured Angel's smiling lips with her own.

Lorne grinned and patted himself on the back for a job well done. He went to his room, letting Angel and Cordelia have their private moment. He decided that he would ask Wesley about special compensation for this particular job tomorrow. For now, he was content to bask in the glowing vibes of love that suffused the entire hotel.


End file.
